Sometimes Google can be a useful tool (e.g. locating a specific article, finding background information about a subject). Use Google Scholar for finding scholarly literature online.
Different organisations can also have useful information online, e.g. WHO or European Commission Public Health
However, to search for books, theses and research articles you need databases.
Includes scholarly literature (articles, theses, books, abstracts, etc.) across a wide variety of disciplines and sources, for example academic publishers, professional societies, and online repositories.
Databases contain information about publications
Usually the content of databases is unreachable by online search engines and requires a paid licence for access
Databases are reliable
|
Information need |
Search method |
|---|---|
|
A specific book |
Search library databases (MetCat Finna, Helka, Finna.fi). |
|
A specific article |
First find out which journal the article was published in. Then search for the journal in MetCat Finna. Within Metropolia network googling can also work but remote access (e.g. from home) to journal content is often only available through MetCat Finna or LibGuides. |
|
You need some information on a specific subject quickly |
Try a familiar database and do a simple search, or use the open web (e.g. Google Scholar). |
|
An in-depth study of relevant research on a specific topic |
Use relevant databases in your field (e.g. Cinahl, PubMed) to locate articles, systematic reviews, theses, etc. |
Books and journals: use library catalogues
International articles and research
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